The present invention generally relates to a method for treating orthopedic injuries or disease. The present invention particularly relates to a method which utilizes a fixation member configured to be utilized in orthopedic surgery for the treatment of periarticular orthopedic fractures.
Physicians utilize various appliances to treat orthopedic conditions or injuries. For example, a periarticular plate is one type of appliance employed by physicians to treat certain types of orthopedic injuries. In particular, periarticular plates are used during orthopaedic surgery to engage and stabilize comminuted bone. Periarticular plates can also be used to distribute a load in osteopenic bone.
Typically, periarticular plates are configured as flat pieces of titanium, surgical grade stainless steel, or other surgical grade alloys. In addition, a periarticular plate will typically have multiple holes defined therein such that the periarticular plate can be secured to a piece of bone and/or bone fragments with a number of screws. Once attached to comminuted bone in the above described manner, the periarticular plate functions to inhibit relative movement between bone fragments and thus enhances healing.
While periarticular plates enhance the healing of comminuted bone to some degree, they also suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, once attached to the bone, the flat xe2x80x9cplate likexe2x80x9d nature of these appliances result in a relatively large surface area of the periarticular plate being biased against the damaged bone. Having a relatively large surface area of the periarticular plate biased against the damaged bone can occlude or otherwise inhibit blood flow to some areas of the bone and thus delay healing. In extreme cases, necrosis may result from the aforementioned occlusion. In addition, the flat xe2x80x9cplate likexe2x80x9d configuration of periarticular plates results in these appliances having a somewhat limited ability to actually inhibit the relative movement between bone fragments. The use of multiple screws to attach the periarticular plate to the bone fragments helps to alleviate the aforementioned problem, however, in many instances the bone fragments are too small or brittle to withstand the insertion of one or more screws.
Therefore, there is a need for a method for treating periarticular orthopedic fractures which addresses one or more of the above described drawbacks.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a fixation member for treating orthopedic fractures. The fixation member includes a body portion having (i) an upper surface, (ii) a lower surface, and (iii) a perimeter edge interposed between the upper surface and the lower surface. The fixation member also includes a number of arm members each having a first end and a second end. The first end of each arm member being secured to the perimeter edge such that each arm member extends in a radial direction relative to the body portion. The fixation member further includes a penetration structure secured to the second end of each arm member such that each penetration structure extends in an axial direction relative to the body portion. The penetration structure is configured so as to penetrate below an outer surface of a bone when the fixation member is biased against the outer surface of the bone. The penetration structure is further configured to limit the penetration so that the lower surface of the body portion is prevented from contacting the outer surface of the bone when the fixation member is biased against the outer surface of the bone.
Pursuant to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a fixation member for treating orthopedic fractures. The fixation member includes a body portion having (i) an upper surface, (ii) a lower surface, (iii) a perimeter edge interposed between the upper surface and the lower surface, and (iv) a fastener hole defined therein. The fixation member also includes a number of arm members each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each arm member being secured to the perimeter edge such that (i) each arm member extends in a radial direction relative to a perpendicular central axis of the body portion and (ii) the arm members are spaced apart from one another along the perimeter edge such that a notch is defined between adjacent arm members. The fixation member also includes a penetration structure secured to each arm member such that each penetration structure extends in an axial direction relative to the perpendicular central axis of the body portion. Each penetration structure is (i) configured so as to penetrate below an outer surface of a bone when the fixation member is biased against the outer surface of the bone and (ii) further configured to limit the penetration so that the lower surface of the body portion is prevented from contacting the outer surface of the bone when the fixation member is biased against the outer surface of the bone.
Pursuant to yet another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a fixation member for treating orthopedic fractures. The fixation member includes a body portion having (i) an upper surface, (ii) a lower surface, (iii) a perimeter edge interposed between the upper surface and the lower surface, and (iv) a fastener hole defined therein. The fixation member also includes a first arm member having a length L1. The first arm member is secured to the perimeter edge such that the first arm member extends in a radial direction relative to the body portion. The fixation member also includes a second arm member having a length L2 which is greater than length L1. The second arm member is secured to the perimeter edge such that the second arm member extends in a radial direction relative to the body portion. The fixation member further includes a first penetration structure secured to the first arm member such that the first penetration structure extends in an axial direction relative to the body portion. The fixation member also includes a second penetration structure secured to the second arm member such that the second penetration structure extends in an axial direction relative to the body portion. The first penetration structure and the second penetration structure are both configured so as to penetrate below an outer surface of a bone when the fixation member is biased against the outer surface of the bone. The first penetration structure and the second penetration structure are both further configured to limit the penetration so that the lower surface of the body portion is prevented from contacting the outer surface of the bone when the fixation member is biased against the outer surface of the bone.
Pursuant to still another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a fixation member for treating orthopedic fractures. The fixation member includes a body portion having (i) an upper surface, (ii) a lower surface, and (iii) a perimeter edge interposed between the upper surface and the lower surface. The fixation member also includes a number of arms secured to and extending outward from the perimeter edge of the body portion in a radial direction. The fixation member also includes a penetration structure secured to each of the arm members such that each penetration structure extends in an axial direction relative to the body portion. Each of the penetration structures is configured so as to penetrate below an outer surface of a bone when the fixation member is biased against the outer surface of the bone. The fixation member also includes a stop member connected to the body portion. The stop member is configured to limit the penetration of the penetration structures so that the lower surface of the body portion is prevented from contacting the outer surface of the bone when the fixation member is biased against the outer surface of the bone.
Pursuant to yet another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a fixation member for treating orthopedic fractures. The fixation member includes a body portion and a number of arm members secured to and extending outward from the body portion. The fixation member also includes a penetration structure secured to each of the arm members which is configured to penetrate below an outer surface of a bone when the fixation member is biased against the outer surface of the bone. The fixation member further includes a stop member connected to the body portion. The stop member is configured to limit the penetration of the penetration structures when the fixation member is biased against an outer surface of the bone.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful apparatus for treating orthopedic injuries or disease.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for treating orthopedic injuries or disease.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new and useful fixation member configured to be utilized in orthopedic surgery for the treatment of orthopedic fractures.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved fixation member configured to be utilized in orthopedic surgery for the treatment of orthopedic fractures.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a fixation member configured to be utilized in orthopedic surgery for the treatment of orthopedic fractures which does not inhibit the flow of blood to damaged bone.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a fixation member configured to be utilized in orthopedic surgery for the treatment of orthopedic fractures which effectively inhibits the relative movement between bone fragments of comminuted bone.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and attached drawings.